Lawson/Saatchi Verdict

Having enjoyed the post World War (?) 2 social consensus, we are gradually declining into the early 20th and late 19th centuries, with our SatNavs set on the 16th C and earlier.
Unfortunately we are taking the motorway route, missing out on the pleasant benefits of the great social reformers, benefactors and campaigners.
We are in raw capitalizm, where:
* There is no such thing as society, everyone should be for themselves - cheating, lying and stealing to get what they want;
* Money 'men' rip off personal pension & annuity dependants with vast fees;
* OUR NHS is being sold off to multi-nationals, private equity holders and Sovereign Wealth Funds ('Foreign' Nationalized finance Coys).
* The Royal Mail has been sold to the market at an eye watering discount [£3.30 ==> £5.60 / share]
* Water, gas, electricity, transport, telephones, .... (Our fundamental requirements in a civilized society) are now in the hands of those same overseas, un-accountable (to even our own MPs), profit oriented cyborgs.
* Even the Co-op bank is suspect.
This whole Sachi / Lawson / Grillo affair, is Bread and Circuses, froth on the top of the bitter coffee of the Market Economy, run by anarcho-capitalist. We should be concentrating on how we are being cheated, lied to and stolen from every day, not this trivia.

.com

also but a man's gotta do what a man's gotta do!

AAAHappyMan, if we want to concentrate on "this trivia", we will do.
If you don't like it, you are at liberty to look elsewhere for your rants entertainment.

Each to their own.

It is possible, you know, to spend some of our time on "trivia" and some on serious topics. If you read more threads than this one, you will see all the things you have mentioned, and more. Likewise in the press. Publicing and debating national and international concerns should not mean completely ignoring individuals.

Society is people. Single units matter as well as institutions.

You don't sound very happy - HappyMan

And if this thread is 'frothy' why are posting for a second time?

I don't think he means the forum or thread specifically, just media and our general obsession with this sort of stuff generally... I'm with him on all that generally, society is obsessed with all the wrong stuff in my opinion and we overlook the more important things.

Then, Mollie I'd say the way to go about redressing the balance would be to keep posting conversationally about serious matters and add to the threads and posts on that side of the equation, rather than getting all aeriated about what people discuss in "frothy" exchanges. That just puts backs up and ensures that people stomp off and discuss nothing.

In real life normal people talk about unimportant things a lot of the time - listening to conversations on the bus you would think that TV soaps and football matches were life and death affairs. That is what human beings are like. But asking questions about politics and social problems gets the subject out and considered, better than condemning them for being human.

Well said Elegran.

Granted he's being a bit vague but where does he say this post or this forum? I see his comments as being a generalisation about society, not GN specifically...

We don't all do frothy and trivial but are still entitled to an opinion, I think.

If I want frothy, then I read the appropriate posts. Equally, if I want serious, then I read the serious ones!

I think he has a point about ife in general, but a rant is not the way to encourage people to discuss the more serious issues.

The problem with some posters is that they don't actually discuss anything, just make a flying visit, have a rant about us not discussing serious issues then fly out again!

There are about half a dozen, usually men, who do this

I agree - are we meant to" sharpen up our act "just in case "he" is watching - a bit like a Mum keeping an eye on the kids to make sure they are playing nicely!!!

It is very easy to condemn everyone else for not caring and not doing anything. To involve them and present your concerns to them in a way that inspires them to be concerned too, enough to make changes, is much harder.

It means putting yourself in their place and asking yourself what will motivate them to take possession of the problem and do something about it, then constructing posts, articles, speeches, to get your view over to them without alienating them.

That takes a lot of hard work and tact - by the time you have perfected the technique you become a statesman, like Nelson Mandela.

Lona and Elegran to you both. What for? For having common sense to spare and for making me

Ouch!

What is that made you say Ouch, Mollie? I wasn't saying anything painful to you, nor I think was anyone else, nor anything to hurt HappyMan. I was just saying that it is much harder work to change people than it is to rant about them.

At times froth is good, not healthy to dwell on the ills of the world almost every waking moment surely? I like reading this forum, I like balance , can read about skirts v trousers , Nigella v Saatchi, do I need a slow cooker, grief, loneliness, the NHS, pensions, war. It's all here

I like that post Annie

OH p.s.
A for you !

Annie

As it happens AAAHappyMan, most of the things you mention in your diatribe are subjected to considerable scrutiny and debate elsewhere in Gransnet. Your concerns are not yours alone and many of us do 'sound off' about them. We also enjoy a 'trivial' moment or two and socialising with our on-line friends. I'd like to think we lead a balanced 'cyber-life'. Relax and have a laugh please!

Condemn is a harsh word to use.

AAAHappyMan's rant seems just like the same old same old from over the centuries - some people ripping off others, people who aren't worthy being "at the top", the country isn't being run properly by those in charge, look at the state of the world, etc, etc, As my MIL would have said The thing is this - if you don't intend to do anything about it don't moan! Most people like to have a gossip about the rich and famous, their neighbourhood, what was on the telly last night etc - it doesn't mean they don't care about more serious issues as well, they just like to have a balance in their lives and not concentrate solely on the doom and gloom around. Chin up!